The first shovel of dirt was turned Sept. 7 in Irwindale as Los Angeles County Chair Pro Tem and First District Supervisor Hilda L. Solis joined residents and local leaders to launch Phase 1 of the Puente Hills Regional Park. The new park project will transform the former Puente Hills Landfill into 140 acres of green space for recreation, education and community gatherings. Puente Hills Regional Park has been decades in the making and represents one of the county’s largest environmental justice efforts in recent memory.
Phase 1 Launches Puente Hills Regional Park
The landfill, once the largest active waste site west of the Mississippi River, closed in 2013 after more than 50 years of operation. Solis noted that the area around Bassett, Avocado Heights and Hacienda Heights endured trucks, odors and little access to nature. “This land was once a symbol of environmental injustice — and now, we are reclaiming it,” she said. The landmark bill she authored in the State Assembly in 1994 halted the landfill’s expansion and paved the way for parkland conversion.
Phase 1 is fully funded with \$157.35 million from county sanitation districts, the State Route 57/60 Confluence Project, the California Wildlife Conservation Board and a federal Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership grant. Additional support came from Assemblywoman Lisa Calderon and discretionary funds secured by Solis. Workman Mill Road will host the main trailhead, entry plaza and staging area, while an arts plaza, amphitheater and nature play zone will serve families from Rowland Heights, Valinda and nearby Whittier. The county’s first Environmental Justice Center will offer exhibits on sustainability, redlining and local waste history, plus a maker space and podcast studio.
Community Impact at Puente Hills Regional Park
Norma E. García-González, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation, spoke of recent wildfires and the urgent need for green space. She credited Solis with championing the park long before climate disasters struck. “A place where this community could gather for recreation and breathe clean air,” García-González said. Mark Pestrella, director of County Public Works, added that the park will improve air quality and inspire future engineers through innovative land restoration.
Nearly 100 students from La Puente, Los Altos and Bassett high schools took part in early planning with designers from Studio MLA. The Youth at Work initiative exposed students to careers in landscape architecture, planning and environmental education. Cathy Warner, chair of the Sanitation Districts board and Whittier councilmember, praised the partnership that “turns waste into resources.” She joined Solis in honoring the late Jeff Yann and environmental advocates Belinda Faustinos and Joan Holtz with plaques recognizing their decades of activism.
Looking Ahead at Puente Hills Regional Park Phases
Phase 2 is already in planning and will add a bike skills area, scenic overlooks at Nike Hill, a skywalk bridge with stair climbs and slides, and climate-resilient gathering spots. Solis said the full park will heal communities and restore native flora and fauna to the historic hills. Future phases may include expanded trails, shaded roads and loop paths for hikers and cyclists.
Construction on Phase 1 is expected to finish by fall 2026. The project team includes Studio MLA, HDR Inc. and PENTA Building Group, working alongside county Public Works, Parks and Recreation and Economic Opportunity departments. More details are available at lacounty.gov.
